Air Ambulance Crash Kills 3 in Amarillo, Texas

February 28, 2018
Abram I. Bohrer

The aviation accident lawyers at Bohrer & Lukeman are monitoring the events surrounding the crash of a Rico Aviation air ambulance in Amarillo, Texas. On Saturday, April 29th, a single-engine Pilatus PC-12 turboprop airplane, registered N933DC, was due to transport a medical passenger from Amarillo to Clovis, New Mexico, when it crashed shortly after take-off. Three members of the crew were killed in the accident. The plane crash lawyers at Bohrer & Lukeman are closely following this general aviation airplane crash.

“Rico Aviation regrets to confirm the loss of three crew members last night,” stated the medical aviation company on their Facebook page Sunday. “We are devastated by this tragedy and are mourning the loss of our team members. The families have been notified and they are in our hearts and prayers. We appreciate prayers for our fallen teammates and their families.”

The Amarillo Police Department has released the names of the victims as of Monday evening. They have been identified as Robin Shaw and flight nurses Misty Nicholson and Scott Riola.

The Texas Department of Public Safety responded to the accident at 12:30 a.m. early Saturday. The plane wrecked two miles from Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, near the railroad tracks by Pullman Road and SE Third Avenue.

Weather conditions were recorded at 12:53 a.m. with wind blowing at 23 mph and gusts up to 31 mph. There was light rain. Visibility was approximately 10 miles, according to meteorologist Trent Hoffeditz of the National Weather Service. Conditions were similar when measured an hour before.

Investigators for the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Association have been onsite since Saturday afternoon. Joshua Lindberg, Investigator in Charge for the NTSB, stated that his team will be on the scene for 4 days in order to gather all information and recover the wreckage. The NTSB will transport the pieces to an undisclosed location for closer examination and will release a preliminary report in one week.

Rico Aviation transports critical patients around the country, with a primary focus on the Southwest region. It celebrated its 20th anniversary on July 16th.

“The crashes of air ambulances has become a matter of significant concern,” stated aviation attorney Abe Bohrer. “We have seen an epidemic of these crashes around the United States over the last several years. All aspect of the manner in which these aircraft operate should come under greater federal scrutiny,” stated Bohrer from his New York office. “We are seeing the loss of both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft resulting from everything to poor weather, inadequate training and negligent maintenance. Yes, these brave folks provide a valuable and often heroic service to many citizens, but at a very high cost of lives. We need to reassess the missions they are flying and whether management is putting these flight crews into dangerous situations.”

The aviation accident attorneys at Bohrer & Lukeman will continue to track the events surrounding the Amarillo air ambulance crash and will update its website with any information as it is released. The New York-based law firm has years of experience representing those injured or killed in general and commercial aviation incidents. Abe Bohrer, the firm’s founder, has successfully represented clients both domestically and internationally.